Articles | SOT ZEYINI

Labor, employee, contract Jun 2, 2026 • 158 views

What Can a Company Do If an Employee Joins a Competitor?

Is it illegal for an employee to join a competitor? An employee’s decision to join a competing company is not automatically illegal. A person generally has the right to choose their place of work, profession, and field of activity. Therefore, an employer cannot simply prohibit a former employee from working for a competitor without proper legal grounds. The real issue is not where the employee goes, but what they take with them. If the employee takes the client database, trade secrets, internal documents, pricing information, CRM data, logins, passwords, or business processes, the employer may have legal grounds to act. In simple terms, joining a competitor may be lawful. Joining a competitor with the former employer’s client database is a very different situation. When can the employer take action? The employer may take action if the employee: copied the client database; exported data from the CRM; sent company documents to a personal email; transferred commercial offers to a competitor; used internal sales scripts; disclosed prices, discounts, or contract terms; took logins and passwords; failed to return corporate documents; started poaching clients; encouraged other employees to leave; breached an NDA or confidentiality agreement; caused losses to the company. If there are no such facts, the mere fact that the employee joined a competitor may not be enough for a legal claim.

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Labor, employee, contract Jun 2, 2026 • 179 views

How to Protect a Company’s Trade Secrets

What is a trade secret? A trade secret is information that has commercial value for a company, is not publicly available, and is protected by the company. This may include a client database, pricing policy, contracts, marketing strategy, sales scripts, business model, financial data, suppliers, internal regulations, technologies, and other valuable information. However, not every piece of information automatically becomes a trade secret. The company must take steps to protect it: define what is confidential, restrict access, inform employees and contractors, and establish liability for disclosure. In simple terms, a trade secret is protected not only by saying “this is confidential,” but by creating a real protection system. What can be considered a trade secret? A company’s trade secrets may include: client database; client contact details; negotiation history; contract terms; price offers; discount system; sales scripts; marketing strategy; advertising account data; CRM information; list of suppliers and partners; financial reports; business plans; internal instructions; access to IT systems; logins and passwords; training materials; know-how; plans for new products or services. Each company should define which information is confidential based on its business model. How can trade secrets be protected? Trade secret protection should be systematic. One clause in a contract is usually not enough. The company should combine legal documents, technical restrictions, and internal control.

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Labor, employee, contract Jun 2, 2026 • 163 views

Is taking a client database a legal violation?

If an employee copies the company’s client database, sends it to a personal email, transfers it to a competitor, or starts using it for personal business, this may be a serious violation of the employer’s rights. A client database may include names, phone numbers, application history, contracts, payment data, correspondence, personal data, and commercial information. Therefore, unauthorized use of such information may lead to labor, civil, administrative, or even criminal consequences. A client database is not just an Excel spreadsheet. For many businesses, it is one of the most valuable assets. What should the employer do first? The employer should act quickly, but carefully. It is not advisable to threaten the employee, take their personal phone, or create a conflict. The first step is to preserve evidence. Immediate actions may include: Block the employee’s access to CRM, email, WhatsApp Business, website, Google Drive, Telegram, Instagram, and other systems. Change passwords. Save CRM and email logs. Check file download and export history. Take screenshots of correspondence and suspicious activity. Prepare an internal incident report. Request a written explanation from the employee. Record client complaints if the employee started contacting them. Consider notarizing online evidence or correspondence. Prepare a written claim or court action.The key point is evidence. It is not enough to say “the employee took the database.” The employer must show what was copied, when, how, and what damage was caused. Can a client database be a trade secret? Yes, a client database may be treated as a trade secret if the company has taken measures to protect it. It is advisable for the company to have: internal trade secret rules; a confidentiality agreement; confidentiality clauses in the employment contract; restricted access to the database; individual logins and passwords; a ban on copying or transferring the database; proof that the employee was informed about confidentiality obligations. If these documents exist, the employer’s position is much stronger. If they do not exist, the case is more difficult, but protection may still be possible.

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Labor, employee, contract Jun 2, 2026 • 129 views

What Claims Can Be Made Against a Person Working Under a Civil Law Contract?

What is a civil law contract? A civil law contract is an agreement under which a contractor performs specific work or provides a service, while the customer accepts the result and pays for it. Unlike an employment contract, a person working under a civil law contract is usually not a staff employee. The contractor does not hold a company position, does not follow internal labor rules, and does not receive a salary as an employee. The key element of a civil law contract is a specific result. In simple terms, the issue is not whether the person “came to work every day,” but whether they delivered the agreed result: a document, website, design, consultation, repair work, report, or another service.

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Labor, employee, contract Jun 2, 2026 • 161 views

What Is the Difference Between an Employment Contract and a Civil Law Contract?

What are an employment contract and a civil law contract? In Kazakhstan, a company may work with an individual under an employment contract or under a civil law contract. A civil law contract is often referred to as a GPH contract in practice. An employment contract is an agreement between an employer and an employee. Under this contract, the person holds a specific position, performs a labor function, follows internal workplace rules, and receives a salary. A civil law contract is an agreement under which a contractor performs a specific task or provides a specific service. The parties are not called “employer” and “employee,” but “customer” and “contractor” or “client” and “service provider.” In simple terms, an employment contract means the person becomes part of the company’s team. A civil law contract means the person performs a specific task and delivers a result.

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Purchase of land, real estate, house Jun 2, 2026 • 187 views

How to File a Court Claim Over a Share in a House

What is a dispute over a share in a house? A dispute over a share in a house arises when several people claim rights to the same real estate or cannot agree on who owns which part. This often happens between heirs, former spouses, relatives, or people who jointly bought, built, or renovated a house. Through court, a person may request recognition of ownership of a share, determination of the size of the share, physical division of the property, monetary compensation, or establishment of the procedure for using the house. In simple terms, if a person believes they have a legal share in the house but others refuse to recognize it, the issue should be resolved through evidence and court proceedings.

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Purchase of land, real estate, house Jun 2, 2026 • 579 views

Procedure for Selling Property Registered in the Name of a Minor Child

Can property registered in a minor child’s name be sold? In Kazakhstan, property registered in the name of a minor child can be sold, but the transaction must follow a special legal procedure. If the child owns an apartment, house, land plot, or a share in real estate, parents cannot dispose of that property on their own without permission from the guardianship and custody authority. The purpose of this requirement is to protect the child’s property rights. The law is designed to prevent situations where a child’s property is sold against the child’s interests. In simple terms: if a child owns a share in the apartment, the sale is not just a regular family decision. It requires official approval.

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Purchase of land, real estate, house Jun 2, 2026 • 166 views

Can You Complain to the Akimat If the Housing Price Under a Program Is Too High?

What should you do if the housing price under a program is too high? In Kazakhstan, many citizens apply for housing through state, local, social, or affordable housing programs. These programs are usually intended to provide people with more accessible housing options. However, sometimes the apartment offered under such a program appears to be too expensive. In this situation, a citizen may file an official request or complaint with the akimat if the housing is connected to a state, local, social, municipal, or affordable housing program. The key point is that the complaint must be specific and evidence-based. It is not enough to simply state that the apartment is expensive. The applicant should explain what price was expected under the program, what price was actually offered, and why the price appears to be overstated.

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Purchase of land, real estate, house Jun 2, 2026 • 179 views

Can You Complain to the Akimat If the Housing Price Under a Program Is Too High?

What should you do if the housing price under a program seems too high? In Kazakhstan, many citizens apply for housing through state, local, social, or affordable housing programs. However, sometimes the apartment offered under such a program appears to be too expensive. The program may be promoted as “affordable housing,” but the actual price may look close to or even higher than the market price. In this situation, a citizen may file an official request or complaint with the akimat if the housing is connected to a state, local, social, or municipal housing program. The purpose of the complaint is not simply to say that the price is “too expensive,” but to request an explanation of how the price was calculated and whether it complies with the program conditions.

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Purchase of land, real estate, house Jun 2, 2026 • 205 views

Where to Complain If a Construction Company Deceived You

What should you do if a construction company violates the contract? If a construction company has taken your money but failed to deliver the apartment, delayed the project, refused to refund payment, or handed over a property with defects, you should act in writing and collect evidence. Verbal promises such as “we will fix everything next week” are not legal protection — they are just premium-grade fog. First, collect the contract, payment receipts, bank transfers, correspondence, advertising materials, photos, and videos of the property. Then you can send a written claim to the company and, depending on the situation, file complaints with state authorities or go to court.

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